BREAKING: US and Ukraine to Sign Minerals Deal in Stunning Reversal After Oval Office Dustup
The United States and Ukraine are set to sign a minerals deal following a tense Oval Office meeting last week between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Reuters reported on Tuesday. This marks a significant reversal after the initial meeting ended in conflict, with the Ukrainian delegation being asked to leave without finalizing the agreement.
According to sources familiar with the situation, President Trump intends to announce the deal during his address to Congress on Tuesday evening. However, the agreement has not yet been signed, and the situation remains fluid. The White House, Ukraine’s presidential administration, and the Ukrainian embassy in Washington have not commented on the matter.
Last Friday’s meeting, which included Vice President JD Vance, began cordially but quickly deteriorated into a heated exchange. Vance criticized Zelensky for insufficient gratitude, while Zelensky argued that Russia could not be trusted to honor agreements, citing past violations by Vladimir Putin. The meeting concluded abruptly, with the Ukrainian delegation being dismissed without lunch or a signed deal. Trump reportedly demanded a public apology from Zelensky before resuming negotiations, while the Kremlin celebrated the breakdown.
The proposed deal would establish a U.S.-Ukraine partnership to develop Ukraine’s natural resources but does not include explicit security guarantees, a key concern for Zelensky given past broken treaties, such as the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Under that agreement, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances from the U.S., Russia, and the UK.
The dispute comes amid ongoing tensions between the two nations, with Trump publicly criticizing Zelensky and reports indicating a pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine. Trump is scheduled to address Congress at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, with many Democrats planning to wear Ukrainian colors or boycott the speech in protest of his recent actions.
